Reviews. Everyone wants them, but no one wants to ask for them. Many even say asking for reviews is taboo on Etsy. Well, I am here to clear up some of the misinformation that is out there on the subject and provide you with 4 Surefire ways to get reviews on Etsy.
Why Reviews Matter
We would all love more reviews but oftentimes ignore the fact that we don’t get as many as we like. I have some statistics for you that might make you change your mind and put in more effort into acquiring positive reviews.
- According to an article published by Forbes Magazine, Seventy-two percent of customers trust online opinions as much as they trust their own friends and family.
- 70% of people check reviews before making a purchase.
- People are also 63% more likely to purchase a product from you if you have reviews.
Asking for reviews – What is and isn’t allowed on Etsy
I was recently reading some Q&A responses about asking for reviews on Etsy. I was a little surprised at how many people were giving misinformed answers. Although asking for a review is shunned upon by many Etsy Shop owners, it is not necessarily prohibited on Etsy.
What is not accepted is asking for a positive review in exchange for additional goods, services, or compensation.
Here are some articles from Etsy that explain in detail their policies.
As you see, there is a ton of misinformation out there, and because of this, I decided to create a New Fb group for Etsy Shop Owners. “Club Etsy” is a place for Etsy Shop owners to hang out together, get support, and offer advice. I am in high hopes that this group will be an online coffee shop of some sorts where collaborations and friendship cultivation comes easily.
** Note : This Facebook group is a closed group. In order to be approved for the group, you’ll need to sign up here first.
How to get reviews on Etsy
Now that you understand why reviews are so important, let’s take a look at ways to get you some reviews on Etsy.
- Take pride in your packaging & include a handwritten note or insert. Inserts are not only one of the most cost effective forms of marketing and building a following, but they also make the customer feel special. Most of us LOVE the attention to detail shown by a seller.
- Request to be friends on Social media. Create a hashtag to use in social media to share how much they love the items. Include this hashtag in your “Thank You Notes”. Besides building a community for people who love your products to communicate it can also lead to more reviews.
- Offer Coupon codes for free shipping or a small percentage as a thank you for the purchase. There is no better way to turn a customer into a repeat customer. Repeat customers are more likely to leave reviews also!
- If you offer digital items like myself, include a ‘message to buyers’. This is an awesome automatic message that gets sent out whenever someone makes a purchase and your files are sent digitally.
Here is what mine looks like:
A big hearty THANK YOU for your recent purchase with Sweet Paper Trail! I hope you are over-the-moon with your new printables, but thumbs up or down, I want to know! Then I can work on giving you more of the good stuff and less of the not-so-good stuff.
If you are happy with your purchase please leave some positive feedback, if not, please let me know. Either way, I value your comments greatly.
Let’s be friends on Instagram @etsy.queen
Now you might be thinking, does this really work? Well, Let me just tell you that I did see a good increase in my reviews after incorporating this little note into my shop sales. Either way, it definitely doesn’t hurt. The buyer already made a purchase, they can choose to offer feedback or just ignore altogether.
Final Note:
Asking for “feedback” is not as taboo as you think, it is a strategy that most successful online shops thrive off of.
Now it’s your turn to chime in. Let me know what has worked for you. Have you ever asked for reviews? Will you be trying it?